In the prior art, many fixation devices have been invented for use in repairing joints which have been injured. One very useful device is described and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,828,562, and that patent is hereby incorporated herein by reference. One use of that fixation device is for repairing an anterior cruciate ligament.
In all known prior art fixation devices for repairing joints in bodies of humans and in other mammals, the devices are such that at least a part of the device goes through the lateral cortex and into muscle. Such implantation is undesirable because the soft tissue will atrophy and die in the area where it contacts such a device. Therefore, there has been a continuing need for a device for fixing parts of a joint which does not go through the lateral cortex and into muscle. An object of this invention is such a fixation device.
A further object of the invention is a device which, once it has been implanted, is securely locked into place. A further object of this invention is a device which is suitable for being implanted very easily into a patient (i.e., a self-locating device) and which is suitable for being revised from having a mechanical (or artificial) ligament attached thereto to having a bone graft-natural tendon (either allegraft or autogenous) attached thereto or vice-versa.